Maine Ghost Hunters

Tag: abolitionist

  • Maine’s Lost Governor

    Maine’s Lost Governor

    Who Was Enoch Lincoln? 

    Born into a politically powerful family in Worcester, Massachusetts in 1788, Enoch Lincoln was destined for greatness. His father, Levi Sr., and his older brother Levi Jr., both held prestigious political positions, including the roles of State Representative, Lieutenant Governor, and even Governors of Massachusetts. 

    Enoch himself was a highly educated and capable individual. After graduating from Harvard and receiving an Honorary Master of Arts degree from Bowdoin College, he studied law with his brother Levi Jr. and was admitted to the Massachusetts bar in 1811. 

    By 1815, Enoch was serving as the assistant U.S. district attorney, and by 1818, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. His political career culminated in 1827 when he was elected as Maine’s 6th governor, a position he held for three terms, winning over 90% of the votes cast in his re-elections. 

    Enoch Lincoln was not just a political player; he was a man of wide-ranging interests and a champion for those in need. He opposed slavery, appreciated Native American culture, and advocated for women’s education at a time when such views were unheard of. 

    The Legacy of Enoch Lincoln 

    Enoch Lincoln left an indelible mark on the state of Maine. He is the reason Maine’s capital is Augusta, not Portland. He commissioned Charles Bullfinch to design Maine’s new statehouse in 1827. He was also a poet, having published a poem in 1816 called “The Village,” which earned him the title of “Maine’s 1st Poet.” 

    One of his most significant achievements as Governor was to protect Maine’s Northernmost boundary when it came under scrutiny by England. Despite pressure from the federal government, Enoch stood his ground, ensuring no boundary change occurred under his watch. 

    The Mystery of Enoch Lincoln’s Disappearance 

    However, a mystery surrounds Enoch Lincoln. In 1986, a work crew entered the vault where he was supposedly buried to do some restoration work, only to find it empty. So the question remains – where did Enoch Lincoln go? 

    Some speculate that he was buried under the tomb, not in it, because the state legislature didn’t approve a monument dedicated to him until 1842. Others suggest his body was removed during an earlier cleaning of the vault back in the 1950s and never put back. There’s even a nearly forgotten rumor that his body was removed from the crypt on purpose and re-interred in his ‘home state’ of Massachusetts. 

    Five Things to Know About Enoch Lincoln: 

    1. He was betrothed to Mary Chadbourne-Page of Fryeburg, Maine for a few years, set to be married only a few months after he died.
    2. He was expelled from Harvard for engaging in the Rotten Cabbage Rebellion of 1807.
    3. He was in the process of collecting materials and documentation for writing a book on Maine history, and another on the language & history of the Aboriginals.
    4. He once challenged another lawyer to a duel when he lived in Fryeburg.
    5. He knew he was dying and was buried with Military Honors.

    Enoch Lincoln was a man ahead of his time, a champion for those in need, and a figure who left an indelible mark on the state of Maine. His life, his achievements, and the mystery surrounding his final resting place continue to intrigue us to this day. 

  • Anson P. Morrill

    Anson P. Morrill

    Early Life 

    Anson Peaslee Morrill was born on June 10, 1803, in Belgrade, Maine. As one of the older children in a large family of 14, he spent his early years hunting, fishing, and trapping on the land. His education was sporadic, attending school when it was open and working for his father’s mill, which included a grist mill, carding machine, and saw mill, when it was not. Despite these humble beginnings, Anson’s reputation for honesty and integrity was established early on, earning him the trust of those around him. 

    Early Adulthood and Political Life 

    At the age of 21, Anson opened a mercantile store in Belgrade. A year later, he was appointed Postmaster of Dearborn, a position he held until 1841. He moved around a bit, living in Belgrade Hill, Madison, Mount Vernon, and Readfield. In Readfield, he took over the management of a woolen mill that was near financial ruin. He invested his life savings into it, and it became prosperous, allowing him to live comfortably for the rest of his life. 

    Adulthood and Politics 

    Anson held various political posts throughout his life. He was elected to the Maine State Legislature in 1834, served as sheriff of Somerset County for a term in 1839, and was elected to the State House from Madison in 1844. He was elected as the first Republican Governor of Maine in 1855, receiving 44% of the votes. He ran for Governor again in 1855 but the legislature chose Governor Wells. He was a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1856 and was elected to the US House of Representatives in 1860. 

    Later Business Life 

    After his political career, Anson went on to become the President of the board of Directors of the Maine Central Railroad Company from 1873 to 1875, and later served as its Vice President from 1876 to 1887. 

    Retirement 

    In 1879, Anson moved to Augusta, where he lived in retirement. However, even in his retirement, he was elected for the state legislature in 1881-1882, at the age of 77. He passed away in his Augusta residence on July 4, 1887, after suffering a short illness which involved paralysis. 

    Personal Life 

    Anson was a universalist who attended church regularly and financially supported it. He was known for his generosity, often helping out his friends in their business ventures, even if it meant suffering financial losses. He was known as a patient, understanding, forgiving, and charitable man, truly the whole package. 

    Anson Peaslee Morrill’s life is a testament to his dedication to his community, his state, and his country. His legacy lives on in the institutions he helped build and the values he upheld. 

  • Lot Myrick Morrill

    Lot Myrick Morrill

    Lot Myrick Morrill: A Beacon of Leadership in Maine 

    Lot Myrick Morrill, the 28th Governor of Maine, was a figure of steadfast leadership and unwavering moral character. Born on May 3, 1813, in Belgrade, Massachusetts, Morrill’s journey from a small-town boy to a prominent political figure is a testament to his dedication and commitment to public service. 

    Early Life and Education 

    Morrill’s early life remains largely undocumented, but it is known that he received his education at Colby College, then known as Waterville College. After college, he served as the principal of a private school in New York called Western College, marking the beginning of his career in public service. 

    A Life in Politics 

    In 1839, Morrill began his law practice, first in Readfield for two years, then moving his practice to Augusta. His political career took off in 1854 when he was elected as a Maine State Representative. Despite his disagreement with the Democratic Party’s policies and attitudes towards slavery, he served as the Chairman of the Maine Democratic Party. However, his stance on slavery led him to leave the Democrats and join the Republican Party in 1856. 

    As a Republican, Morrill was elected to the Maine State House as a Senator and was named President of the Senate. In 1858, he was elected as Governor of Maine, a position he held for three terms until the Civil War broke out in 1861. 

    A Legacy of Leadership 

    Morrill’s tenure as a U.S. Senator from Maine was marked by his strong anti-slavery sentiments. He advocated for freeing and educating freed slaves in Washington D.C., sponsored legislation to outlaw slavery, and advocated for equal rights for slaves. 

    Morrill was also known for his stance on the re-admittance of Confederate States back into the Union. He opposed punishing the South for their rebellion and was a strong proponent of the Military Reconstruction Act. In 1868, he voted in favor of impeaching President Andrew Johnson. 

    A Man of Principle 

    Morrill was a man of high moral and ethical standards. He loved his country more than his party, voting to expel Senator Bright of Indiana for being a Confederate sympathizer and communicating with Jefferson Davis. He also voted to impeach Andrew Johnson for his racist attitudes and opposition to political rights for freed men and ex-slaves. 

    Life After Washington 

    After his time in Washington, Morrill returned to Maine, where he was appointed as the U.S. Collector of Customs in Portland, a position he held from 1877 until his death in 1883. 

    Remembering Lot Myrick Morrill 

    Morrill is best remembered for his advocacy for civil rights, his stance on the re-admittance of Confederate States, and his commitment to national financial security. He lived in the Lot Morrill House at 113 Winthrop Street in Augusta, a Greek Revival Architecture building listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. 

    Lot Myrick Morrill passed away on January 10, 1883, at the age of 69, leaving behind a legacy of leadership and commitment to the people of Maine. 

  • Governor Selden Connor

    Governor Selden Connor

    In this blog entry you’re being introduced to Maine’s 35th Governor.  His name was Selden Connor and he was dedicated soldier, successful banker, and popular politician.  He was also one of Maine’s finest Civil War heroes, and one tough nut.  I’ll tell you why I wrote that in a minute.

    Selden Connor was born in Fairfield, Maine on January 25, 1839.  He was educated in local area schools, including The Hartland Academy in Hartland and the Westbrook Seminary before heading off to college at Tufts University.  After graduating from Tufts in 1859 he moved to Vermont to study law in the law offices of Washburn and Marsh.

    In his second year as a law student in Vermont the Civil War broke out.  Selden wasted no time.  Within just 5 days of the announcement, he had left his schooling to join the cause to preserve the Union by enlisting for a 3 month tour with the 1st Regiment of Vermont Volunteers.  He quickly moved up in rank to Major, and then Lieutenant Colonel of the 7th Maine.

    Selden Connor was involved in many important military campaigns;

    • In 1862, at the age of 23, he was put into temporary command of the 77th New York Regiment after the Union Victory at the battle of Antietam.
    • He was involved with the Peninsula Campaign, which was a direct Union offensive on the Confederate Capitol of Richmond, Virginia. The campaign lasted from April of 1862 to July 1862.   The Union was not successful at capturing the city.
    • He was also present at the Battle of Fredericksburg, where he was wounded, but not so badly he couldn’t continue on with his duties.
    • He was present at the battle of Gettysburg where the 7th Maine joined the right flank.
    • And he led his men to fight in the Battle of the Wilderness. It was in this campaign he was wounded by a musketball that struck his inner thigh, ripped through his quad muscle and essentially shattered his left femur.  This leg injury would cause him much grief for the remainder of his life.  It ended his field career and relegated him to administrative duty for the duration.

    Selden was promoted to Brigadier General after sustaining this leg injury but was mustered out of the service in 1866.  In 1866 he fell and fractured his leg again which left him housebound for 2 years, much of which he was bedridden.

    In 1868 is when Selden Connor’s political career began when he was appointed to the position of “assessor of internal revenue’ by governor Joshua Chamberlain.  Within a few short years he was appointed the “collector for the Augusta district”.

    In 1875 he made a successful run for Governor as a Republican and 2 follow-up re-election bids which he also won – serving from 1876 through 1879.  In 1876 he appointed James G. Blaine to fill an empty Senate seat when Lot Myrick Morrill was tapped by President Grant to become the US Secretary to the Treasury.  In 1882 he was employed as a U.S. Pension Agent, a position he held until 1886 when the office itself was abolished.

    From 1893-1897 Connor served as the 23rd Adjutant General of Maine. The Adjutant General is an esteemed military appointment, responsible for State Level Military.  So, in this capacity he was responsible for all facets of the Maine National Guard.

    His later life accomplishments included serving as the President of the Society of the Army of the Potomac, the Senior Vice Commander of the Loyal Legion, and the President of the Northern Banking Company.

    He was a lifelong member of the Phi Beta Kappa fraternity.  He also held memberships in the Maine Historical Society, the Military Historical Society of Massachusetts, and was the Senior Vice Commander in Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic (or the G.A.R.).

    Selden Connor died in 1917 at the age of 78. His death was determined to be caused by “Nephritis of 22 years and abscess of the kidney”.  He left behind a political legacy we all still live by today. Some things Selden Connor was known for;
    • He was a Civil Service Reform Advocate – which meant he was opposed to the “spoils system” in Government jobs where incoming presidents would wipe out government employees who weren’t of their political backing only to replace them with big money donors, or political party favorites.  In short, Civil Service meant that employees who were ‘civil servants’ wouldn’t necessarily identify with the party of the office of the President.
    • He pushed hard for a free public school system here in Maine.  And he signed an act that led to the building of a teacher’s school in Fort Kent, Maine in an effort to Americanize the state’s French Settlers in the Madawaska Territory. It was originally called the Madawaska Training School but that name morphed over the years to; The Fort Kent Normal School, The Fort Kent State Teacher’s College, Fort Kent State College, and finally, the University of Maine at Fort Kent
    • He was an outspoken voice in cleaning up the political arena of bribery & forced voting practices – where employers wouldn’t hire employees with opposing political ideologies, and who would also force employees to vote for whomever the boss told them to.
    • He was an outspoken proponent for the Women’s Suffrage Movement to the point he held the position of Vice President of the Maine Woman Suffrage Association.
    • And finally, Selden Connor was a mighty fine cook.  Being the son of a Lumberman meant he knew his way around a bean pot.  Lumbermen of the time had this special way of making Beanhole Baked Beans and Selden had perfected the recipe so deliciously it was darn-near legendary.